


sea shanty for shinobi

by NianaiBell



Series: Umino Appreciation Fics [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Gen, Iruka Week 2021, Japanese Mythology & Folklore, Mysterious Ocean Man Iruka, Umibozu - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-16 20:16:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29955327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NianaiBell/pseuds/NianaiBell
Summary: Iruka Week 2021/Day 2: Mythology & FolkloreKakashi didn't think this mission would involve vengeful sea spirits today.Thankfully, there's Iruka.
Series: Umino Appreciation Fics [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2202717
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8
Collections: Iruka Week 2021





	sea shanty for shinobi

The inky black waters of the sea at night is a sight Kakashi isn’t accustomed to; his usual mission lineup doesn't often bring him to the coast. Tsunade wisely left that to shinobi more familiar with the volatile nature of the sea; Konohagakure had after all once been a refuge for families of the seaside towns demolished during the first two ninja wars and Kakashi found his skill set was better suited to the thick canopied forest than the open expanse of the ocean. Their current mission was simply due to their convenient proximity at the time. His squad had been diverted on their return home to one of the larger fishing towns, where talk of large sea beasts had been rumored to terrorize vessels and citizens alike before summoning dangerous storms and disappearing in a blink of an eye.

With the information given Kakashi had been dubious of their abilities to do much against a literal force of nature. Asuma and Yamato quietly shared the opinion; the three of them were an odd match for this particular assignment. Asuma's specialty in close-range combatant was probably not going to be much help against _liquid_ and although Yamato's water release affinity was a plus, he still tended to get seasick at the choppiest swells that tossed them around in the tiny rooms they'd been given. He supposed it didn't matter though, they had their assignment and they would investigate no matter what. It’s what you did when your life belonged to the service village. 

Besides, their last mission hadn’t been strenuous per se; a month playing diplomats at the Fire Dynamo's court to reaffirm the Leaf's standing was simple enough although Kakashi missed the leafy cover of a forest or the golden glow of sunrise breaking over the stone faces of the Hokage Monument. More than that Kakashi's internal clock reminded him it’d been over a month since his last visit to the memorial stone which gnawed at his patience. But the gentle rocking of their tiny boat and the twinkle of stars reflecting off the surface of seemingly bottomless ocean softened the dull thrum of anxiety circling in his chest if only for a moment.

He inhaled deeply, letting the smell of salt and sea blanket his senses. Soft specks of ocean spray tickled his exposed cheek and for a moment the world was blissfully still.

“It’s beautiful at night isn’t it?”

Kakashi had a kunai in hand and poised before the voice had finished speaking. He hadn’t heard any telltale creaking of boards or rustling of displaced air from a transportation jutsu. Whoever this man was, his ability to move about unheard was deeply impressive.

A pair of dark brown eyes stared steadily back at him, body relaxed even with the threat of the blade aimed at his throat. He appeared quite comfortable perched along the ship's rails, shoulders loose and hands resting uncurled and unassuming against bent thighs. At Kakashi's extended silence, the newcomer sighed and tilted so he was facing back towards the open sea. Dark hair fell about the man’s tanned face and an old scar running the width of his face wrinkled as his brows furrowed in thought.

“You’ve got maybe ten minutes, then I’d say you should be below deck and keep your friends down there with you. Tonight is going to be rough.”

Kakashi held stone still, blade steady, and kept his eyes locked onto the man. He'd already been caught unaware and he wouldn't make the same mistake twice. Was this who was terrorizing the village who'd hired them? Based on his body language and severe lack of killing intent, Kakashi doubted it. The stranger gave off nothing more than a steady pulse of chakra at the inspection. 

“Are you the one causing the storms affecting the village?” Kakashi asked bluntly.

The man snorted but remained looking at the dark expanse before them.

“Hardly, terrorizing locals isn’t really a pastime of mine. And you can relax Hatake-san, we've already met. I didn't kill you then and I won't hurt you now. Although I’m not surprised you don’t remember. We were both much younger back then.”

Odd, Kakashi felt that he would’ve _definitely_ remembered him.

He felt his eyebrow furrow in question, unnoticeable in the dim glow cast from the bulbs spread around the ship. "Really? That's rather difficult to believe considering most people who know the Hatake name are slightly more aware of the danger they'd be in for sneaking up me."

The man's flat look spoke volumes of what he thought of the thinly veiled threat. "You think pretty highly of yourself, don't you?"

Kakashi shrugged, he'd survived this long and it was only partially due to luck. No need to let this man think he'd be an easy target in a fight. 

"You didn't answer my question."

The man gave a quick shrug of his shoulder in dismissal. "You didn't answer mine either." Kakashi didn't miss the almost indulgent tone to the statement. 

"No, and I don't think I will. Though if you’re involved in any of this…”

“Then what Hatake-san? You’ll be forced to fight me?” The man seemed to think that was entertaining. He turned back to watch Kakashi and briefly he saw the childish version of that same scarred face pinning him with a look of humoring an obviously outlandish thought. That look gnawed at his memory in a way that Kakashi had learned to pay attention to at an early age. It had come in handy saving his life before.

The weapon cautiously lowered, still visible in his gloved palm as he shifted his weight onto his back foot in case this conversation deteriorated into an altercation. Although as the moments stretched on the thought seemed less likely. As slippery as the man was with actually answering his queries Kakashi favored the conversation over a more physical approach. 

”Okay so you know my name, and you say we’ve met. But why can’t I remember you Umi-san?”

The moniker actually made the man snort and Kakashi stamped down his brief irritation, he didn’t think he was being particularly funny at the moment.

“We never did exchange names, but your companions kept calling your name so loudly that I couldn’t help but overhear it. 'Hatake'. It's rather an unusual name for someone at sea.”

As much as Kakashi appreciated how the teasing tilt of a grin fit the man’s face, he disliked the feeling of being known and being unable to reciprocate.

“I don’t often find a reason to be out here.” He replied, aiming for disinterest.

“Shame.” The man said grinning. “I think everyone should come out here. There’s nothing like the ocean at night.”

“Look Umi-san, as much fun-”

“Iruka.” The man interjected mildly.

Kakashi paused, not expecting the interruption or really to get further than calling the man Umi-san.

“Iruka.” He repeated back flatly. Was he messing with him?

“Iruka.” The brunette confirmed with a nod.

“Okay, _Iruka_ then. As much fun as this is...if you’re not the one hurting the villagers, will you tell me who is?”

The man ( _Iruka_ , Kakashi’s brain reminded him) slipped down from his perch and turned so he could rest his crossed arms (very nicely muscled arms Kakashi’s brain supplied unhelpfully). He stared out into the ocean, a deep frown appearing for the first time. His expression had grown stormy at the question. 

Iruka waved Kakashi closer to his position and Kakashi weighed the probability that this man was just going to use the chance to throw him overboard. It was higher than he liked.

Reluctantly he settled next to Iruka, keeping just out of arm’s reach of the other man.

Ignoring the obviously calculated space between them Iruka pointed to a barely noticeable movement of dark against the black of the ocean. Kakashi suspected if he hadn’t had it pointed out to him the movement would’ve gone unnoticed. He didn’t particularly enjoy the thought.

The dark mass slipped easily from sight, obsidian dark body appearing seemingly at random throughout the rolling of the waves, never upsetting the cresting of the water when it appeared. Kakashi pushed up his hitai-ate, feeling the instant chakra drain as he studied the shape of a long, serpent-like body. The longer he focused on the creature he could feel their images slip and blend themselves out of his sight. It felt just like holding on to a slippery rope. He counted another two figures join the first and noticed the waves were beginning to rock the little vessel, trying to throw Kakashi’s balance. Beside him Iruka seemed to be grumbling but unaffected by the uncertain balance of the boat.

“Umibōzu.” Iruka muttered tiredly beside Kakashi.

Kakashi risked losing sight of the creatures to glance at Iruka’s profile, noting the odd pathway of the man’s chakra with his Sharingan. It was much brighter than Iruka’s initial presence had let on to. Could he really suppress that much chakra? 

Iruka motioned for Kakashi to replace his hitai-ate; “Save your energy Hatake-san, that eye will do you no good against them.”

He did as he was told, glad to feel the instant relief of closing the eye and letting the darkness reclaim him. But that didn’t change the fact that Iruka had just suggested that seas spirits were the cause of the destruction of the last few weeks. Nor did it really explain Iruka, who was enough of mystery in himself Kakashi mused. Maybe he was more chakra depleted than he realized because at the moment nothing was making sense. A mysterious and attractive man who was stealthier than his nin hounds and claimed he knew Kakashi was suggesting that supernatural beings were wreaking havoc in retribution for shitty townsfolk stewardship? Maybe he'd been caught in some genjutsu earlier and this was all in his mind. It almost made more sense.

“So you’re saying that there’s several grumpy Umibōzu patrolling the water and what? Demanding a sacrifice? Playing god of death for fun? Come on now Iruka-san that seems a bit superstitious.”

Iruka favored him with an exasperated glare before the boat hit a particularly high wave that definitely hadn’t been normal at the beginning of their conversation. Worry flashed across Iruka’s face and he reached out to steady Kakashi’s balance before seeming to think better of it.

“Unfortunately Hatake-san, that’s exactly what I’m suggesting. Word gets around when a village disrespects the sea. I’d investigate the village a little more before you mock these beings.” Iruka said sternly. Around them, the waves were turning choppier and the whistle of wind hurt Kakashi's ears. He was willing to concede that this wasn't a natural storm at least.

“Our job is to protect those people and if they-” he waved a hand in the general direction of approaching slithering figures. “-are the danger then I have no choice.”

“No choice other than to get yourself killed by an angry sea spirit?” Iruka challenged.

“I would do everything I could to not have my comrades and I die in vain.” He shot back.

Iruka just stared at him for a long moment like he was an overly tired child spouting nonsensical arguments before he shook his head and gave a worried look to the sea. A wave maybe five or six feet higher than their boat broke against them, testing Kakashi's chakra control to keep him anchored to the deck. Strong fingers gripped his arm and he was pulled against a surprisingly dry chest. Unluckily for him, the laws of water and gravity still applied to him. Drenched with water dripping unhelpfully into his face Kakashi tried not to shake himself like one of his hounds.

“Believe whatever you want Hatake-san but time’s up for tonight and I can’t let you get killed. Stay below deck, talk to your friends about a better plan than _attacking_ the literal ocean. At least the one with the wood control seem slightly more rational.”

Kakashi shook his head, already giving up that any of this was anything besides a very oddly constructed genjutsu. “You’d _think_ but you wouldn’t believe Yamato’s favorite way of teaching-”

He watched as that seemed to break some of the built tension in the brunet’s shoulders. It felt like a stupidly small victory in Kakashi’s book but if he was stuck in a genjutsu he was going to make the most of it. The air around them crackled with an electric charge that felt akin to the lightning chakra that lingered beneath his skin and to his chagrin, Iruka turned him abruptly towards the door to the lower deck, where Yamato himself was emerging, yelling for Kakashi. In his peripherals he watched Iruka untie one of the roped-off barrels, quick and efficient before hauling it over the side of the ship and disappearing after it. _Huh, odd choice_ , Kakashi noted mildly, no longer surprised at anything this night could throw at him. 

Yamato quickly spotted Kakashi against the empty deck, his hands flying through hands signs before a wooden coil sprung from his fingertips, racing towards his senpai to loop securely around him, a makeshift life ring. Kakashi looked over his shoulder for any trace of Iruka's existence, finding nothing but open deck around him as he was yanked roughly towards where Yamato was braced against the relative safety of the steel doorframe. Unable to slow his approach against the violent shifting of the waves, he ended up nose to nose with the younger shinobi, whose face barely concealed his concern at finding Kakashi top side of a boat during the throes of a raging storm.

“Kakashi-senpai, pardon me but what the hell are you doing?”

“Oh you know, I was just having a rather enlightening conversation with an attractive sea spirit.” Kakashi offered nonchalantly. Yamato was used to far more outlandish excuses from his teammate and released his makeshift rope before sighing and retreating to the safety of the lower level of the ship.

“Hilarious senpai. Please come downstairs and dry off before you catch a cold. I’m sure Asuma would love to hear about this mysterious sea spirit of yours.”

Kakashi watched the retreating back of his kouhai, rubbing at the wet fabric of his mask thoughtfully. Even if all this had been the reaction of an overly depleted chakra system and Kakashi had imagined this, the man had been right; they needed to dig around for more info with the locals tomorrow.

With that he started down the dimly lit steps into the lower deck of the ship, brain working overtime to figure out how to solve this mission before he could return to the relative sanity of Konoha’s gates _where things occasionally made sense_. 

-

Unsurprisingly, Iruka had been right. 

A week later, after several rather painfully difficult conversations with their clients about _not dumping their garbage into the ocean_ and proposing a return of their seasonal festivals celebrating the ocean for its power (supernatural or not), Kakashi sat atop a weathered boulder, watching the sun peek over the horizon. Beautiful as it was, he found his attention was mostly directed to the man beside him, tanned fingers rubbing soothing circles into Pakkun’s fur and dark brown eyes watching the sea.

He planned on asking Tsunade to assign him to the planned follow-up mission in a month. He had quite a few questions that needed answering and Iruka had promised an explanation - eventually.

**Author's Note:**

> So this probably doesn't super fit in with the actual mythos of umibozu BUT it was incredibly fun to write, and it's a patchwork of self-indulgent ideas and I hope y'all enjoy mysterious ocean spirit Iruka as much as I do.
> 
> In reference to Iruka stealing a barrel at the end, there's a part of the Umibozu legend that sailors are to offer a bottomless barrel if faced with one of the spirits to confuse them. I assumed Iruka's probably aware of how to distract these guys so he took matters into his own hands.
> 
> And in reference to Iruka and Kakashi meeting years before. In this unnecessarily detailed backstory I created for this fic I assume a preteen Kakashi is thrown overboard on one of his earlier mission and Iruka's the one who has to pull his butt out of the ocean. Maybe a story to look into one day idk. 
> 
> Thanks for sticking around and see ya next time


End file.
